• Workers whose jobs do not require contact with people known to have or suspected of having COVID-19, nor frequent close contact with the general public or other workers, are at lower risk of occupational exposure.
• Employers with workers that perform job duties that involve medium, high, or very high occupational exposure risks should develop and implement a COVID-19 response plan that uses the hierarchy of controls and other tools to address worker protection during an outbreak.

Guidance for job tasks associated with lower exposure risk

Workers whose jobs do not require contact with people known to have or suspected of having Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), nor frequent close contact with the general public or other workers, are at lower risk of occupational exposure. Close contact means within six feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. Employers and workers in operations associated with a lower risk of exposure should:

• Remain aware of evolving trends in community transmission. Changes in community transmission, or work activities that move workers into higher risk categories, may warrant additional precautions in some workplaces or for some workers.
• Monitor public health communications about COVID-19 recommendations.
• Ensure that workers have access to that information.
• Collaborate with workers to designate effective means of communicating important COVID-19 information.
• Frequently check the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 websites for updates.

Guidance for job tasks associated with increased risk

Certain workers are likely to perform job duties that involve medium, high, or very high occupational exposure risks in areas with community transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, the virus that causes COVID-19. These workers and their employers should remain aware of the evolving community transmission risk. According to OSHA, employers should:

• Assess the hazards to which their workers may be exposed;
• Evaluate the risk of exposure;
• Develop and implement a COVID-19 response plan that uses the hierarchy of controls and other tools to address worker protection during an outbreak; and
• Select, implement, and ensure workers use controls to prevent exposure.

Possible elements of a COVID-19 response plan include:

• Worker screening — This is screening workers for COVID-19 signs and/or symptoms (such as through temperature checks). The complexity of screening will depend on the type of worksite and the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak among workers. If implemented, worker screening should include screening protocols, criteria for exclusion of sick workers, and criteria for returning to work. Because people infected with SARS-CoV-2 can spread the virus even if they do not have signs/symptoms of infection, screening may play a part in monitoring worker health but may have limited utility on its own. Employers' temperature screening programs may rely on workers self-monitoring, rather than employers directly measuring, temperatures. Protocols for worker screening must be applied equally, without discrimination based on race, national origin, sex, age, disability, or other protected characteristics. Note that 29 CFR 1910.1020 may apply to temperature records. However, if employers do not record workers' temperatures, or if workers' temperatures are recorded but not made or maintained by a physician, nurse, or other healthcare personnel or technician, the mere taking of a temperature would not amount to a record that must be retained.
• Identify and isolate suspected cases— This is the prompt identification and isolation of potentially infectious individuals. Wherever feasible, keep infectious people out of the workplace, including through the use of a system for workers to report if they are sick or have symptoms of COVID-19 or through the use of screening measures. If a worker develops signs or symptoms of COVID-19 at the workplace, send the person home or to seek medical care. If the person cannot immediately leave the workplace, isolate the individual in a location away from workers, customers, and other visitors and with a closed door (e.g., in a single occupancy restroom), if possible, until they can go home or leave to seek medical care.
• Engineering controls — These are physical changes to the workplace to isolate workers from a hazard. Examples of engineering controls include:
  • Installing plexiglass, stainless steel, or other barriers between workers, such as on assembly lines, or between workers and customers, such as at points of sale.
  • Using rope and stanchion systems to keep customers/visitors from queueing within six feet of work areas.
  • Adjusting ventilation systems to introduce additional outside air and/or increase air exchange to introduce fresh air. Consult a qualified technician if necessary.
  • Modifying physical workspaces to increase the distance between workers.
• Administrative controls and safe work practices — These are changes in policies and procedures for how workers perform job duties to ensure work activities are conducted safely. Examples include:
  • Limiting the number of workers assigned to a particular shift in a facility.
  • Ensuring workstations are spaced at least six feet apart.
  • Posting signage, in languages the workers understand, to remind workers, customers, and visitors to maintain a distance of at least six feet between one another and to practice regular hand hygiene.
  • Providing training and information in languages the workers understand.
  • Increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfection within the worksite.
  • Encouraging or permitting workers to wear cloth face coverings, if appropriate, to help contain potentially infectious respiratory droplets.
• PPE — This is equipment that protects workers from hazards when engineering and administrative controls are insufficient on their own. PPE should be selected based on the results of an employer's hazard assessment and workers' specific job duties. Consider accommodations for religious exercise for those workers who, for instance, have or cannot trim facial hair due to religious belief, or provide reasonable modifications for persons with disabilities. Other considerations include the following:
  • When disposable gloves are used, workers should typically use a single pair of nitrile exam gloves (unless other gloving protocols are necessary for the work setting or task). Change gloves if they become torn or visibly contaminated with blood or body fluids.
  • When both face and eye protection are needed, use surgical masks and either goggles or face shields. Personal eyeglasses are not considered adequate eye protection.
  • Cloth face coverings are not acceptable substitutes for PPE intended to prevent worker exposure to droplets or other splashes or sprays of liquids. If workers need respirators, they must be used in the context of a comprehensive program that meets the requirements of OSHA's Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 1910.134).
  • Surgical masks are not respirators and do not provide the same level of protection to workers as properly fitted respirators. Cloth face coverings are also not acceptable substitutes for respirators.
  • If there are shortages of PPE items, such as respirators or gowns, they should be prioritized for high-hazard activities.
  • After removing PPE, always wash hands with soap and water, if available, for at least 20 seconds. Ensure that hand hygiene facilities (e.g., sink or alcohol-based hand sanitizer) are readily available at the point of use (e.g., at or adjacent to the PPE removal area).
  • Employers should establish, and ensure workers follow, standard operating procedures for cleaning (including laundering) PPE and items such as uniforms or laboratory coats, as well as for maintaining, storing, and disposing of PPE.
• Cleaning and disinfection — The CDC provides instructions for environmental cleaning and disinfection. Employers operating workplaces during a COVID-19 pandemic should continue routine cleaning and other housekeeping practices in any facilities that remain open to workers or others. Use EPA-registered disinfectants with label claims to be effective against SARS-CoV-2. Routine cleaning and disinfection procedures (e.g., using cleaners and water to pre-clean surfaces before applying an EPA-registered disinfectant to frequently touched surfaces or objects for appropriate contact times as indicated on the product's label) are appropriate for SARS-CoV-2. Workers who conduct cleaning tasks must be protected from exposure to hazardous chemicals used in these tasks. Do not use compressed air or water sprays to clean potentially contaminated surfaces, as these techniques may aerosolize infectious material.
• Adequate ventilation will protect all people in a closed space — Key measures include:
  • Ensuring the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is operating in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and design specifications,
  • Conducting all regularly scheduled inspections and maintenance procedures,
  • Maximizing the amount of outside air supplied,
  • Installing air filters with a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) 13 or higher where feasible,
  • Maximizing natural ventilation in buildings without HVAC systems by opening windows or doors, when conditions allow (if that does not pose a safety risk), and
  • Considering the use of portable air cleaners with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters in spaces with high occupancy or limited ventilation.
• Worker training — This involves the training of all workers with occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 about the sources of exposure to the virus, the hazards associated with that exposure, and appropriate workplace protocols in place to prevent or reduce the likelihood of exposure. Training should include information about how to isolate individuals with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or other infectious diseases, and how to report possible cases. Training must be offered during scheduled work times and at no cost to the worker. Workers required to use PPE must be trained.
• Anti-retaliation — Workers may not be discriminated against for raising concerns about COVID-19 infection control in their workplaces. Section 11(c) of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act prohibits discharging or in any other way discriminating against a worker for engaging in various occupational safety and health activities. Workers have a right to raise a reasonable concern about infection controls or voluntarily provide and safely wear PPE, such as a respirator, face shield, gloves, or surgical mask. Employers should ensure that workers know who to contact with questions or concerns about workplace safety and health, and that there are prohibitions against retaliation for raising workplace safety and health concerns or engaging in other protected occupational safety and health activities. Also, consider using a hotline or other method for workers to voice concerns anonymously.

Additional considerations for workers with increased susceptibility

If workers may be at increased susceptibility for SARS-CoV-2 infection or complications from COVID-19, consider offering adjustments to their work responsibilities or locations to minimize exposure. Other flexibilities, if feasible, can help prevent potential exposures among workers who have heart or lung disease, chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis, liver disease, diabetes, severe obesity, or immunocompromising health conditions. Employers should be cognizant of the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has guidance about COVID-19 and equal employment opportunity laws.